


Rise

by VenezuelanWriter



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Having a Crush, M/M, Muscles, Mutual Pining, Platonic Relationships, Training, but not acting on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-08-10 09:50:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7840105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenezuelanWriter/pseuds/VenezuelanWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cisco is already a master of sonic blasts, but now it's time to learn combat tactics... featuring Barry lighting-abs Allen.</p><p>Day 5 of Flashvibe Summer Week: Free Day - Training Sessions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rise

**Author's Note:**

> In the name of "Free Day", I may have posted [an edit](http://marian-elisa.tumblr.com/post/149506145979) of Barry and Cisco kissing....
> 
> FYI I know nothing of combat and fights so I tried to write something decent with some references from a fight scene in Arrow (and I couldn’t get a lot of refs because it was like a sword fight the one I picked up).
> 
> Title because of Katy Perry's song.
> 
> Beta'd by RedBowBuddha <3.

“That was nice!” Barry applauds seeing how Cisco has knocked down a pile of empty boxes with his last blast. Cisco takes the goggles off and approaches his destruction. He’s had a hard time fully understanding that this will not make him evil, that instead, he’ll use his powers to protect and defend the city alongside Barry.

“Yeah,” he pants tiredly. “I think I just went full-on power right there.”

“It was awesome, dude. But it’s time to practice on your aiming.” Barry turns to him and then he points to the state of the room they are in, with holes in the walls and some broken tech every few feet. “I have Oliver on speed dial,” he jokes.

“Oh, shut up. Do something nice and bring me our cardboards figures from the basement.”

“Those don’t move, though,” Barry protests. He’s found a really good justification on why Cisco can’t use anything to train but- “I’ll heal, don’t worry.”

“For the thousandth time, I’m  _not_  going to hit you with my sonic blasts.”

“I know you won’t intentionally hurt me!” Cisco gives him a look. “Alright, the whole point will be that you do, but it’ll be for a greater good.”

Cisco considers it silently and Barry waits expectantly. Cisco knows that he’s not willing to hurt anybody, let alone someone who wouldn’t heal as fast as Barry. And he knows Barry has a good point on why the cardboards figures wouldn’t be completely effective. He also knows he wouldn’t forgive himself if he used some drones or something awesome he’s built for this.

And most importantly, Barry is more than willing to be his dummy.

“Alright, you win.”

 

 

“Remember you still have your blasts. This is for like an emergency-type occasion. You’d beat anyone with your powers. Including me,” Barry assures and tries to give Cisco some encouragement.

Cisco nods unconvinced. “So… where do we start?” He’s not sure how he was finally persuaded to do this; he feels ridiculous standing here, in front of Barry super-athletic Allen, wearing his best sports gear and with zero knowledge of how to throw a decent punch.

“First of all. Never exercise without stretching.”

Cisco’s eyebrows lift but he follows Barry’s instructions anyway and starts to mimic his movements, which make his muscles burn so he can loosen up and get ready for the main event.

 

 

“Now let’s get to the cool part,” Barry cheers.

“The combat?”

“What? No way, man. We’re gonna get you fit, first.”

“Says the guy with lighting abs.”

“Hey! I’m gonna do the training, too, and it’s gonna be fun.” He puts a comforting hand on Cisco’s shoulder.

“I bet you won’t even be sweating by the time I’m dead.”

“No one’s gonna  _die_. And I won’t use my superspeed. Just my normal lanky self.”

Cisco sighs. “Sounds fair.”

 

 

Cisco tied his hair up after the infernal warm up jog and he really hopes he’s ready for sit ups featuring his friend, Mr. Lighting Abs. Sit ups were his nightmare in gym class. He was more like the squats or push-ups kind of guy (he was a lab nerd kind of guy, if we got into the details).  But agh, sit-ups,  _why_.

“Ready?” Barry asks him, sneaking into the locker room where Cisco’s been refreshing himself.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

 

 

He can barely make it to ten sit-ups without stopping to take a breath. Barry is doing them too; they’re facing each other and at least Cisco’s seeing his cute face every time he’s up because damn, his body is burning.

After four sets of ten, Barry easily notices Cisco’s major effort to look cool while the sweat rolling down his face and whole body is too much.

“We’re over for today, dude. I said I wasn’t going to kill you. You did pretty great, though.”

“ _Thank God,_ ” Cisco pants.

 

 

The next day they start the training just the same, with stretching and laps. Then instead of sit-ups, the daily torture is push-ups. At least Cisco can stand them better than the crunches. His arms have always been more functional than anything else on his body.

Like that, days pass and Barry makes different circuits of combined exercises that guarantee both of them a phenomenal beach body. They train three to four days a week and between variations of crunches and sit-ups (which were a fuckton of variations according to Cisco), planks, push-ups, lifting weights, a little bit of boxing and  _lots_  of squats, after a rough month and a half Cisco’s body is looking greater than ever before and his confidence has been boosted to the point where he no longer wears just sweats to train but also shorts and nicer, less-covering shirts.

This leads Barry to start noticing the amazingness that Cisco’s been hiding under those clothes.

Those biceps? Holy shit. Though, his favorite parts were the defined thighs and evidently firm butt. However, he shouldn’t say anything yet before he can get to know Cisco’s abs…

He feels creepy the moment he realizes he’s objectifying Cisco. Some guilt, even, creeps inside of him at the thought that maybe he’s been unconsciously doing this the whole time just so he gets to see him like this? No, that’s not true. He wouldn’t mind admitting it to himself, so he knows that he’s actually doing it to help his friend. See? His  _friend_. Nothing else. Not the friend he’d like to kiss and see his naked body. Nope, not that one.

 

 

“I think it’s time to start with the fighting classes,” Barry finally announces one day after they do their routine warming up. 

“Thought this day would never come, bro.” He has to admit that he’d actually got used to the training. It still bothered him a little, but every day it kept becoming easier for him and eventually his body started to hurt less and he couldn’t be more satisfied with the results that were also his biggest motivation.

“It’s been hard, I know. But look at you now!” He waves in Cisco’s general direction and he hopes he’s not too obvious.  _C’mon, even Joe noticed his hotness- alright, no, not that, that’d be weird. Even_ _he_ _noticed his recently formed_ _muscles_ _so it’s normal that I have since I’ve been the one training-_

“Yeah, I’m feeling great.” He grins widely and Barry can’t help a smile back at the look of happiness in Cisco’s eyes.

“So, uhm…” he moves around, placing himself in front of Cisco to begin with the training before he starts drooling while he daydreams or something. “Rule number one, taught over several generations,” he jokes, thinking about Oliver, “never let your guard down. That and… I dunno, try not to break my nose or something.”

Cisco scoffs. Like if he could even  _break_  Barry Allen’s nose.

 

 

“Remember, with one hand you cover yourself and with the other you attack.”

Cisco sighs, frustrated. After five sessions of training, he keeps letting his guard down and he wonders when he will finally stop making this exact mistake.

“Yeah. Sure.”

Barry has been teaching him combat tactics for the past week and a half and he really appreciates it, but he kinda hates it too? Alright, no, that's not true, he just wishes this was easier for him. He feels like he’s wasting his friend’s time and that’s completely unfair.

“Let’s start over,” Barry tells him and steps back. “You attack first this time.”

Cisco gives him an annoyed look. “What?”

Barry defends himself. “Sometimes you’ll have to make the first move.”

Cisco purses his lips. He’s right.  _Let’s get this_ _over with_ , he thinks.

 

 

“You don’t have to feel bad, you know.” Barry knows Cisco well enough to read through his sighs and several annoyed and frustrated looks. “I use superspeed as my weapon and I never had to learn how to fight like that, I’ve just learned with practice. So it’s completely understandable that it’s taking some time.”

“I just feel like this is useless, man. I still haven’t even helped you in a fight or anything.”

“Which is what you’re preparing for! It’d be useless if you join me in the field without practice. You may get hurt or worse.”  _Something I am not going to allow._  “We have to make the most of the time when metas aren’t… being evil or whatever.”

 

 

Barry throws Cisco to the floor with a kick.

“Dude, not everyone around here has superspeed,” he complains still in the position he’d fallen.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t measure my strength. C’mon,” he offers his hand and helps Cisco up. Barry feels bad because the last thing he’d do would be to intentionally hurt Cisco. He doesn’t want to make him feel lesser or not good enough. He truly wants to help him improve and get awesome at fighting. He wants them to be able to protect each other, in every circumstance.

“My first lesson should’ve been that no matter what, you don’t fall without standing up again,” Barry tells him as he lets go of his sweaty hand.

“As long as I’ve got you…”

And no, Barry is  _not_  going to overthink that. Cisco means it as a friend, as a sidekick. As partners who’re gonna have their back because neither of them is invincible. He doesn’t mean it in a romantic way, duh.

 

 

 

Cisco blocks with his left arm, attacks with the right one, Barry avoids it by pulling back and goes to kick his leg, but Cisco isn’t making that same mistake  _again_  so he moves and attacks once more, this time using his defined leg; he throws another punch which Barry stops with his arm and as they share eye contact in that position Cisco takes the chance to push Barry’s legs forwards using his own.

“Finally,” he breathes out. He’s tired but content; after such a long time he’s been able to win a fight with Barry.

Barry grins widely. Maybe it’s partly because Cisco looks really nice, with his victory smile on his lips and the sexy thin glisten of sweat on his naked arms. But oh, Barry couldn’t be more proud of him.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this and maybe other of my fanfics, please visit my [Patreon account](https://www.patreon.com/venezuelanwriter/), in case you would like to help me pay for my college studies (literally, my semesters cost around $100) and also get some awesome, exclusive benefits!


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